ReStore helps customers recycle, repurpose, save money

recycling requires a good imagination. Consider the cheerful kitchen island in the photo. It may have started out in the ReStore as two beat-up dressers. The finish on the dressers may have been scratched, stained or worn away. Some dressers donated to the ReStore have missing drawer pulls, broken drawer slides or wobbly legs.

But that battered furniture is gold to the ReStore for three good reasons. First, with some TLC and basic do-it-yourself skills, donated furniture often can be recycled into something entirely new, beautiful and useful. Castoffs don’t have to end up in a local landfill. Habitat for Humanity International recognizes over 700 ReStore resale outlets throughout the U.S. which take part in this environmentally responsible effort to keep reusable materials out of the waste stream.

Second, ReStore furniture is priced 50% to 90% below retail, so many families on a budget can afford to buy something for their homes.

Finally, ReStore profits go to Habitat’s building and remodeling programs to make safe, decent and affordable housing a reality for Twin Cities families. The more customers buy, the more ReStore contributes to Habitat’s mission.

There are hundreds of creative ways to recycle everything from old cabinets to chipped ceramic tile. The Habitat for Humanity ReStore of Alexandria, Virginia, got a lot of attention for ReStores and recycling when store staff teamed with area interior designers to build two stylish room displays—a master bedroom and a loft---for a Washington,D.C. home show.

Designers went on a treasure hunt through the Alexandria ReStore, and selected shutters, an armoire, PVC pipe, carpet squares, cabinet doors, lighting fixtures and old doors, among other finds.

Go on your own treasure hunt for recyclables at the Twin Cities ReStore!

By Barb Machowski, Twin Cities Habitat ReStore
Above image from Apartment Therapy --Re-Nest, www.re-nest.com